In brief
- The death of a young footballer sparked calls for greater safety on suburban grounds.
- Many AFL grounds around Australia are covered cricket pitches, a safety hazard if not carefully prepared.
A young footballer's death after an on-field tragedy has sparked a broader conversation about the risks of being tackled on cricket pitches at suburban grounds.
Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, suffered critical head injuries during an Australian rules football game at Lalor Recreation Reserve, in Melbourne's north.
He died in hospital on Monday night.
Fitzgerald, who was playing for Epping Football Netball Club, clashed heads with a teammate after attempting to tackle an opponent on Saturday.
The clash was the first of several blows. It was followed by a knee or boot to the head and a head-first landing on a covered cricket pitch.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The pitch sits in the centre of the oval and is covered with a multi-layered synthetic surface when football games are played.
Local players were aware the cricket pitch was harder and less forgiving than the surrounding surface, Epping club president Luke De Vincentis said.
"Everyone always makes comments about not wanting to get tackled on the cricket pitch," he told AAP.
He could not recall any serious injuries arising from contact with the surface but said cuts, grazes and rolled ankles were common.
While covered cricket pitches were features of ovals across the nation, De Vincentis hoped the incident would encourage a rethink.
"It's probably been an accident waiting to happen," he said.
"I really hope there is quite a bit more exploration to how cricket pitches are covered and understanding that that synthetic strip of turf just probably isn't enough any more."
The City of Whittlesea, which manages the reserve, said the pitch covering met the relevant safety standards and it was commonly used.
"The synthetic cricket wicket at Lalor Recreation Reserve was covered with a purpose-designed, multi-layered synthetic surface in accordance with applicable AFL/Cricket Australia performance standards for shared-use sporting grounds," a spokesperson said.
"Covered cricket wicket systems of this type are commonly used on shared-use sporting grounds across Australia."
Emergency services treated Fitzgerald at the scene after medical specialists and players rushed to his aid.
De Vincentis praised their efforts, adding the young player's condition might have deteriorated sooner had he not been treated immediately.
"Emergency services have told us that if it wasn't for their work, there was every chance he could have died on the spot," he said.
"They were fantastic in dealing with a situation that not many football trainers would have had to have ever dealt with in the history of our game."
The incident rocked the sporting club, which came together on Saturday night and again on Sunday.
"There were 120-odd people at the club yesterday, just being together and rallying around each other," he said.
Counselling services were made available, and conversations had begun about a memorial.
Local junior Jax Collins, who attended the reserve wearing a jersey in honour of Fitzgerald, spoke of his anguish.
"I felt pretty upset," he said. "No one really wants that to happen to someone when they're playing footy."
Fitzgerald was remembered as kind, upbeat and softly spoken.
"But he was tenacious and courageous as anything on the field," De Vincentis said.
Mr Fitzgerald worked at Mernda Central College, where he taught maths and science.
Support would be made available for the school community, a Department of Education spokesperson said.
"Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of Nathan Fitzgerald at this very difficult time," they said.
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
